The Official Asylum Reef Tank Thread

[shilala]

I think I've decided to go with no refractometer.
I'm worried it'll talk me into doing really dumb ****.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by shilala

I think I've decided to go with no refractometer.
I'm worried it'll talk me into doing really dumb ****.

You know what I use?
A cup.

[Blueface]

Originally Posted by Blueface

You know what I use?
A cup.

Have to run so don't want to leave anyone scratching their heads.

I use a cup and a 5 gallon bucket of water.
A heaping cup, two times, with 5 gallons of water = 1.019 salinity.
Want less salinity? Do two level cups and you get 1.016-1.017.
Want more, like 1.023? Easy. Just do an extra half to 3/4's cup.
Very scientific.

[shilala]

Originally Posted by Blueface

Have to run so don't want to leave anyone scratching their heads.

I use a cup and a 5 gallon bucket of water.
A heaping cup, two times, with 5 gallons of water = 1.019 salinity.
Want less salinity? Do two level cups and you get 1.016-1.017.
Want more, like 1.023? Easy. Just do an extra half to 3/4's cup.
Very scientific.

I do the same thing when I mix my water, but I have a dip tester thingie.
I try to keep it in between the lines.
I've always tried to keep it in the middle of the lines, but I'm going to start keeping it on the upper end from now on.
It's been a little high for a long time and a little low for a long time and I've never noticed any difference in anything at all.
If a little more salt will help the corals, I'm sure it won't hurt anything else, so I'll give it a shot. I'll probably have to add a cup of salt.

[taltos]

Scott, as an after thought to this conversation, I agree with Carlos on recommending the good Doctors. I do not keep an aquarium at this point in time but I have relied on the Doctors to keep my cats healthy going back as far as when I was breeding Himalayans and also showing them. I still rely on these folks for products for my strictly house cats. The products are as they state and you can actually get a real person on the phone if you have questions. The final straw is that shipping is reasonable and quick. This post might be off topic and in that case, I am sorry but these are my 2 cents on suppliers to the home pet keeper.

[shilala]

Originally Posted by taltos

Scott, as an after thought to this conversation, I agree with Carlos on recommending the good Doctors. I do not keep an aquarium at this point in time but I have relied on the Doctors to keep my cats healthy going back as far as when I was breeding Himalayans and also showing them. I still rely on these folks for products for my strictly house cats. The products are as they state and you can actually get a real person on the phone if you have questions. The final straw is that shipping is reasonable and quick. This post might be off topic and in that case, I am sorry but these are my 2 cents on suppliers to the home pet keeper.

I agree about the Doctors, I use them all the time.
The picture of the refractometer on their website is a lesser quality model than most any of the ones I saw on ebay (aside from the cheapest junk).
The refractometer I linked to was the nicest one I could find online anywhere, quality-wise.
I decided to do without and keep doing what I've been doing for lots of years. Kinda talked myself out of creating problems where there weren't any.